My senior cat has a red, oozy lump that's growing. He keeps biting it.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Scruffy. He appears to have a wound on his neck. I would recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He will need the hair around the wound shaved so it can be fully evaluated. Then his veterinarian will likely prescribe an antibiotic and possibly a topical disinfectant solution to help keep the skin clean as it heals. I am glad it is not painful to him, but it will still require treatment. I hope this information helps!

Mammary growths in cats have a high chance of being a malignant cancer. Since they are open and draining, they may also be infected It would be best to have a vet check the area to see if surgery is an option to remove them or at least medication to help clean them and clear the infection. Peroxide can actually delay healing after the first use. You are safer with mild soap and water to wipe it clean

I would definitely take him to the vet to have this checked. From what you say I wonder if this is a tissue reaction to a little piece of the bug left behind. It looks more like reaction and infection than a tumour, but that is always a possibility. I wouldn't let that put you off, head to the vet and see what they think.

It is possible that it is a tumor, and could possibly be infected. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may recommend antibiotics and possibly removal. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thank you for providing a picture of the bump on your cat, it's very helpful! It could simply be a benign growth, as it looks like it could be one in your picture, but unfortunately I cannot make the determination for sure without seeing him in person and doing tests on it. It is a bit concerning that it has grown up to 4x in size and is bleeding. It could be bleeding because he is scratching at it, but again I don't know unless I see him in person. Due to the fact it has grown in size and is bleeding for some reason, then yes I do think this is concerning enough to see the vet. It would be good to get the exact diagnosis of the bump; in addition, your cat is 10, which means he's a senior cat, and there is always a risk that any bump in a senior cat could be malignant. I'd give your vet a call to make an appointment. I hope this helps!

Hello! This depends on how long the lumps have been present for. If they have been slowly growing (over a few weeks/months), then they could be some sort of skin tumour. If they just came recently (ie the last few days), it could be an abscess (which is an infection, trapped under the skin.) Would you be able to take Luna to see a vet? They would be able to examine him, and determine what type of lumps they are, and whether he can be helped with medication, or surgery. You can clean the area that he is bleeding from with warm water and a clean cloth.